The contract includes routine maintenance and schemes up to a value of £0.5m, street lighting maintenance and improvement, carriageway resurfacing, gully emptying, 24/7 reactive works and other works.

The contract has developed into a mature partnership based on the long standing relationships between the client team and the delivery staff going back to 1995.

Grant McRae, VolkerHighways' Project Manager, said: "We have a very long standing relationship with our Tier 1 supply chain partners who have become an integrated part of the delivery team.

"The client has a proactive approach to working with us, to agree new ways of working and to bring efficiencies to the contract. This is based on mutual trust and respect."

95% of all contract arisings are recycled and a facility has been set up to manage the processing. Annually, 20,000 tonnes of concrete and asphalt are crushed and graded into a Type 1 fill, which is re-used or sold to other contractors in the Borough.

We are working with the client to further develop Symology for works ordering and management. All our vehicles are maintained by the client's vehicle maintenance team, bringing over £80,000 of additional income to the borough.

Grant added: "Within the street lighting part of the project we are working to promote the client's ‘In Light' campaign to raise the level of street lights that are 100% operational."

This forward thinking ensures that the 26,000 street lamps are working efficiently and involves a programme of bulk lamp changes, cleaning and repairs.